Tell the Delaware River Basin Commission: stop the rush to drill!

The Delaware River watershed spans nearly 14,000 square miles across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, and supplies drinking water to more than 15 million people.

But despite these high stakes, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) rushed to issue new gas drilling regulations last December.

They refused to wait for science and evidence from --

New York’s review of high-volume gas drilling,
the EPA’s study on the gas drilling process known as hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,”
and a possible federal cumulative impacts study of gas development on the River Basin.

Please use the form on the right to tell the DRBC to take more time to gather information to make critical decisions to protect water supplies, health, and the environment.

And the DRBC has cut corners by allowing only 90 days for public comment on its draft regulations (until March 16, 2011) and holding just three public hearings. No hearings are set to take place in New York City and Philadelphia, the state of Delaware, or other key regions within the watershed.

Please send a letter demanding that the DRBC provide a more open and accessible public process for decision-making on these critical regulations and the future of the Delaware River Basin.

We already know that the draft regulations missed the mark and include key shortcomings on gas development planning, setbacks from homes and public parks, wastewater treatment, and other issues.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Read the sample letter (at right) and edit it as you see fit. Customized letters with your own experiences and ideas have a greater impact!
Click "Send Your Message" to send your letter to the Delaware River Basin Commission.

MORE INFORMATION:

The text of the DRBC draft drilling regulations.
Delaware Riverkeeper is leading the charge with DRBC.
cleanwaternotdirtydrilling.org for background on drilling in New York
ProPublica's investigative series, Buried Secrets, covers the issue of natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing, from soup to nuts.

Subject:

Your Letter:

Dear Carol Collier and DRBC Commissioners:

As someone who cares deeply about human health and the environment, I’m very concerned that the Delaware River Basin Commission is offering the public so few opportunities to comment on draft regulations for natural gas development. More time and input is needed to address an issue that will impact so many people’s lives, such a critical water supply, and the health and safety of my community for decades to come.

Please expand the public participation process for the draft natural gas regulations to 180 days. Please schedule additional public hearings in geographically accessible locations, including at least one meeting in each Basin state and in New York City and Philadelphia, the two largest population centers that rely on the Delaware River water supply. In addition, because Pennsylvania is such a large state, one hearing should be held in the Upper Delaware region, one in the central watershed area, and one in the southeastern area

I also request that the Commission does not adopt final rules or permit gas drilling to begin in the Delaware River Watershed until key scientific studies are completed by New York State and the USEPA, and after a federal cumulative impact analysis of gas development impacts on the River Basin is conducted.

Thank you for considering broadening the public participation process.  Much is at stake and the DRBC must do all it can to prevent pollution and degradation of the Delaware River and the watershed.

Sincerely,

Commission Secretary

Delaware River Basin Commission

Clean Water NOT Dirty Drilling is a network of organizations working to protect the rights and health of landowners and communities and our most precious of environmental resources--clean drinking water--from the dangers of irresponsible, poorly regulated, and under-inspected gas drilling.

The network includes:
Catskill Mountainkeeper * Citizens Campaign for the Environment * Earthjustice * EARTHWORKS * Environmental Advocates of New York
Natural Resources Defense Council * Riverkeeper * Shaleshock